HEADLINES


How Preventative Maintenance Drives School Bus Tires


While most school bus operators should already have a tire


maintenance program in place, we turned to Doug Jones, a customer engineering support manager at Michelin, for defini- tive recommendations on ensuring proper tire pressure. A thorough pre-trip inspection for tires is not just a good


idea, it’s a legal requirement. Te best place to start that pre- trip is where the rubber meets the road — your tires. During your pre-trip, always check the air pressure when the tires are cold, in other words before they are driven. Driving, even for a short distance, causes tires to heat up and build pressure. To start the inspection, operators need a calibrated air gauge


and a tread-depth gauge. Periodically check the gauge against the maintenance shop’s calibrated master gauge. Tumping or kicking tires is not an accurate way to check air pressures. Always know your bus fleet’s target air pressures. Te correct


inflation for your tires is based on many factors such as load, speed, road surfaces and handling. Cold pressures should not exceed the target pressure by 10 psi. Each valve stem should have a valve cap to prevent dirt from reaching the valve core, which could result in an air leak.


32 School Transportation News Magazine March 2011


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